'Dippy' the dinosaur to go on display at National Museum in Cardiff

The diplodocus was among the London museum's most famous residents for more than 100 years

The skeleton of a dinosaur that has greeted visitors to the Natural History Museum for more than a century is to go on display in Wales.

"Dippy" the diplodocus graced the London museum from 1905 until it was removed and replaced in the entrance hall with a blue whale in 2017.

The 70ft (21m) long beast, made up of 292 bones, will be on display in the National Museum in Cardiff from 19 October 2019 to 26 January 2020.

It has been touring the UK since 2018.

Pip Diment, from the museum in Cardiff, said: "We're all very excited."

The display, cast from a near complete diplodocus skeleton that was discovered in Wyoming, America in 1898, stands both 14ft (4.25m) tall and wide.

Prior to its UK tour, Dippy had never been on public display outside London.

Organisers hope it will "inspire natural history adventures" having attracted record-breaking visitor numbers for exhibitions in Birmingham, Belfast, Glasgow and Newcastle.

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Ms Diment added: "We can't wait to welcome Dippy. He's been extremely popular at all the previous venues and I'm sure it won't be any different here in Wales."

Experts will take five days painstakingly unpacking and assembling the dinosaur